Saturday, September 8, 2012

Save the Best for Last - Cris Urena

Today was a true test of my endurance as I spent six hours in the sweltering heat scouring the streets of New York City in search of models to photograph. After scurrying across countless busy intersections, being jostled by media and press outside Milk Studios, and approaching close to forty models, I was well and truly beat. As I headed back up 9th Avenue towards my friend's apartment where I am crashing throughout Fashion Week, I caught a glimpse of Dominican model Cris Urena, one of my Top Ten newcomers of the Spring/Summer 2012 season. Twenty year old Massachusetts raised Urena was discovered a little over a year ago when friends submitted photos of her to a number of New York modelling agencies. A few months later Urena signed with New York Model Management and relocated to the modelling capital to focus on her new career.

The End of Long Day
Photographer - Neill Seeto
Property of Inoubliable Model Army

Urena's delicate sophisticated beauty and quirky gap between her front teeth lend her a charming air of interest. The relative newcomer has been featured so far in editorials for Wonderland, V Magazine, Marie Claire France, the Last Magazine, Dossier Journal and French Revue de Modes. Early campaigns for Rugby Ralph Lauren and Victoria's Secret hint at Urena's mainstream market appeal. Urena has been spotted this season at castings for ACW Worldwide and BCBG, so I will be keeping my fingers crossed for an appearance at Hervé Leger later in the week. Luckily for me, Urena had had the day off from castings and shows when I spotted her, and allowed me to take my time in getting the shots just right. She chatted animatedly about her week so far and about Inoubliable Model Army, and I found her to be the perfect antidote to a long and stressful day.